One time when one of my rats wound up alone when his brother died to cancer, I got two baby rats to keep him company. Normally you need to introduce new rats slowly to avoid fights, but he adopted the little rats within less than a minute, and within two they were all napping in a big pile together. He really became a parent to them, really looked after them, but what really left me astounded was when he managed to live so long that he wasn't able to walk by himself, those little rats he adopted, now adults, actively looked after him, bringing him food and helping him move around. It took me by such surprise, and was probably the moment I truly fell in love with rats.

Side note: this doesn't get talked about a lot, but rats can "boggle" their eyes in and out of their heads if they're especially happy or relaxed. It's not something to panic about! It definitely looks kinda freaky though, especially if you don't already know about it.

almost every single rat story here is absolutely heartwarming - and all written in the past tense. it really is a shame for such an amazing animal to live so short, isn't it..

My rats have amazed me on multiple occasions. I had a rescue rat (he was found abandoned on a train) who was very hard to socialize with, he probably didn't have a proper childhood and was bred as snake food, so he didn't know how to react to my other rats' social cues. He had a bad experience meeting them first and was really afraid of them. I thought about giving up on socializing him but I didn't want him to be alone. Then, I noticed that the other rats had basically accepted him, even though he was still afraid, and hissed at the other rats, warning them that he would attack. However, my pack leader seemed to have noticed that the rescue rat was all bark but no bite. He walked up to the rescue, turned his back towards the rescue, and lay down next to him. The rescue would hiss and run away after a while but the pack leader followed, repeating the gesture. This non-threatening, accepting behavior let the rescue rat calm down and finally accept the other rats. I have never seen an animal behave like that towards another that was actively threatening them.

If anything, Clint is underselling just how incredibly social they are. Story time! So one rat I had, he was a chubster, and he'd managed to chew a hole in his shoe box home a bit too high up. He tried to climb through the hole, and got stuck, see-sawing back and forth. And then he freaked the f*** out. Animals trapped like this can easily hurt themselves trying to break free, so this was a problem. I had a pair of scissors handy, but I didn't trust him to stay still long enough to cut him free. So, after a moment's thought... I stuck my finger in his mouth. Sure enough, he bit down, and his body relaxed. Snip-snip later, and he was free. He ran to the back of the cage, very shaken, and I went to wash my finger. So a couple minutes later, I come back, and try to talk to him. But when I reached for him, he ran away like he was scared. So I clicked at him and called his name, and he eventually climbed slowly up onto my hand... and then grabbed my bitten finger between his tiny little hands and started furiously licking the wound. *He remembered biting me and felt bad about it!* So I let him clean the wound, and then scritched him behind the ears, and we were cool again. Never in my life have I seen an animal so clearly express regret for an action. And what made it worse was that it wasn't his fault! I honestly felt a little bad because he felt bad, but I had no way of telling him it was all according to plan.

When my daughter was about four and was in public, she'd occasionally just shout to someone, "we have rats!". I'd always have to come in behind her and explain.

My first rats were a pair of males, they each lived 5 years, no cancer in them, I think I got incredibly lucky. By the end they were both blind, and unable to ride on my shoulder anymore, there's truth in their need for a friend as they both died within a week of each other, as if they were only hanging on for their friends sake.

On the pooping and peeing: in my experience, rats really don't like to relieve themselves outside of their cage, unless they're in an unfamiliar place and/or very stressed. Mine never pooped anywhere when I let them run around my room. They do "mark" with pee droplets here and there. But the only time I ever had a rat truly pee on me was when she'd spent too much time outside the cage and desperately had to go. She ran to me, started crawling on me and actually seemed distressed. I had no idea why...until she peed in my lap. She had the intelligence to try and communicate that she needed to go back to her cage, which was in another room. I felt so bad!

"They steal your heart and break it into a million pieces two years later." Nothing could be a more accurate assessment of pet rats. I've had 5 throughout my life (2 as a kid and 3 in college), and they are the reason I started watching this channel. I wanted something small that is just as curious and personable AND wouldn't shatter my heart so quickly. My blue death-feigning beetles come pretty close, but simply nothing beats rats. 🥰

My rat Rosey would 'sing' whenever she was handled. At first I thought it was her complaining because just a gentle squeeze would be enough for her to vocalise. However she would instantly come back for more and would also sing happily from her nest whenever being groomed by her companion or as she wriggled up a sleeve. She was an incredibly brave, curious and interactive animal.

My wife got 2 feeder rats. After about a week we noticed they were putting on weight. Turns out the store kept all the rats in same encosure so both were pregnant. Shortly we had 12 babies. But only one mother could produce milk. But the one that could stepped up and nursed all 12 babies. She was an amazing rat and became my favorite. Of all of the rats we wound up, she turned out to be the smartest, most adventuresome and most affectionate. If there is a such thing I'm sure she is a rat heaven because she surely deserves it. R.I.P Katie

It is also incredible how intelligent rats can be. Izy, my very first rat, was able to understand the word 'kitchen'. Whenever someone mentioned that they were going into the kitchen, she would run there in the hope of getting some treats (because, of course, 'kitchen' meant food was involved 😉)

My first rat named Dewey was the best rat ever and technically my first "service animal." he was so sweet and so smart. My school was a private school, so they did let me bring him to school since they noticed he helped me focus and be calm in school. Dewey would sleep on my shoulder all day long. He got me up for school too. Mom would open his cage and get breakfast ready while Dewey would head for the stairs and up to my room and then climb up onto my bed and gently lick my face to wake me up. He was amazing and it's so sad that people think they are just dirty, nasty creatures. They are extremely intelligent. Basically a pocket sized dog.

I had rats years ago, but I don't think I could do it again. They were amazing, but with their life span it felt like adopting a heartbreak. I miss them often though. Great video.

I am so happy to see people loving rats in a big way. I've kept rats since my mom brought two home over 14 years ago - it changed my life completely! I do want to say one of my boys broke the 3 year club, and joined the 4 and a half! Absolutely ancient by rat standards.

As someone that uses multiple nailguns everyday for years and has owned rats, the nail gun analogy is fair on the surface. But a dog bites like a framing nailer, a rat is more like a crown stapler. For future reference. I've missed with both and thats how I can anecdotally compare them.

It's not fair that such lovely, smart, emotional, *aware* animals live so short. They deserve decades. Need to breed them for slower fertility cycles and longer life!

I got insanely lucky with my rats; they were feeders, and two of them lived to be 3, while the third lived to be FIVE. I was blown away.

I currently have 7 male rats. In particular, Squiggy (yes, I had Lenny but he recently passed), is one of the most laid-back, loving rats I've had. He's my "heart rat." I put him down on my bed while I am relaxing, and he lies next to me contentedly. No matter how long he is there, he NEVER poops or pees, or tries to chew my sheets or clothing. Somehow he just *knows* not to. He was incredibly tame from the moment I purchased him from a pet store, and he was still just a baby. In fact, he was so calm that he simply rode home with me on the passenger seat of my car, very relaxed as I petted and talked to him. He is a light blue hooded with pink eyes, so he has very poor eyesight. Yet, when I call his name, he runs straight to me for snuggles, kisses, and pets. I love ALL my ratty boys, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I just wish they had more time here on earth with us.

I got 2 juvenile males. Not exaggerating..it took 40 minutes to crate train them both. Had them almost 3 years. Neither ever again peed or pooped outside their crate. As far as them wandering off in the house, it took a couple days for them to come to each of their names, and about two more to understand that when we said, "rats," it meant they should both come. So smart

The heartbreak is right! They have such sweet little personalities and mine wouldn't poop outside of their cage so I would carry them around in my hoodie pocket.

You also forgot to mention that rats giggle. Researchers slowed down the sounds that rats make when handlers tickled them to a frequency humans could hear and found that they giggle.

I love the little test bite he gave Clint and he jerked his hand away. 90% of the time the bite will not be a harsh one, maybe an indent in the skin. They are just checking you out, nibbling/tasting a person/object is how they 'see' you

30 years ago I got a bunch of rats to feed to my many boas and pythons. This is rat was refused by all my snakes. Nobody would eat him. I ended up feeling like he was a special rat and kept him. We bonded so deeply. I had him for almost 3 years when he got a tumor on his neck and eventually died. I carried him on my shoulder all the time. I housed him in a very tall parakeet cage, made him a hammock and a hide box...he loved it all but he really loved me. I felt that from him all the time. What a great experience I had with him.

I'd love to see videos about ALL the small mammals! Hedgehogs, guinea pigs, and mice are all animals I'd like to see in the future! :)

My favorite rat scenario is where they taught the rats how to drive little cars and the rats just enjoyed driving them for fun.

As the husband of a rat owning wife, everything you said was factual and well presented. They are super fun and funny to play with. Only draw back is the potentially expensive care if they get sick and getting a nice critter nation cage. Also they don't live long enough, poor little things

I love how when he talks about how social and adorable they are at 2:21 the one rat is gently holding the other rat's tail 😭

We've had over a hundred rats many years ago (not at the same time). They are wonderful animals, but it their short lives is heartbreaking. They would learn their names, and when you would go to the enclosure and call a name, that particular rat would come to you! Cleanup wasn't fun, though!

I started watching your videos a few years ago on the notion that I would hopefully be adopting a reptile soon. After a while of research I had thought I narrowed it down enough to make a decision. As soon as that moment hit, my step-sister (who owns a ball python) offered me a rat that she refused to eat for a week or so. I said "Uh, no thanks" but she made me hold him anyways. A tiny little grey rat with ears too large for his head, she named him "Leftovers" since he certainly hadn't been eaten for dinner even though that was his original purpose. I sent a cheeky text to my partner asking if we needed a rat expecting a no but received an excited yes. He was the sweetest, kindest most loving and happy boy and I'm so so happy we decided to take little Lefty home with us. He recently passed and had many health complications towards the end, it was extremely hard for us. However, even though they don't live long like you said, they have so much capacity for love. I agree with your rating and am happy to say owning rats has forever changed my life in a way I could've never imagined. Thank you for this amazing video.

Something fun about pet rats is how many foods they’re allowed to have. The list of things they can’t eat is much shorter than the things they can. I loved being able to prepare meals for them! They had their pellets which was technically their main diet but I’d also add a bowl with a variety of different things and mix it up each day! Some examples of what I’d give them are carrot, celery, apple, pear, banana, beans, peas, corn, broccoli, strawberry, cucumber, leafy greens, boiled or scrambled egg, dry and/or cooked pasta, and I’d add a tiny sprinkling of low fat cheese to top it off. It’s been a long time since I had them so there was probably other stuff they got that I can’t remember. They were such special boys 🥰 also some of the treats they’d get was a little piece of dark chocolate (at least 70-80%), Cheerios which they adored, and other types of cereal like Nutri-grain and a couple lil rice bubbles or a chex piece, it was just so fun to be able to share everything with them. Other snacks too like sometimes they’d get a piece of popcorn or a bit of a chip, or I’d break off some of a nut/muesli bar, and they had their own treat cup with some almonds only for them. They loved rice pudding and baby food custard, and when they needed meds for URI’s instead of using dairy based stuff (which I was told would lessen the effect of their medication) I’d mix it with apple sauce/purée which they also enjoyed a lot. They’re one of the best pets at taking meds! I was recommended to give them a tiny dose of infant nurofen for pain relief and they didn’t even need it mixed with anything cause they liked the taste of it by itself 😂 There was one day they got a little piece of chocolate cake on someone’s birthday, since I didn’t know their actual birthdays I decided to let them celebrate then with some yummy cake. I adopted the five of them when they were already a year old, so I didn’t get very long with them, but I cherished the time I did. I miss them. Rest In Peace my beautiful boys: Pudding, Cookie, Bean, Chip and Spud ❤️

Best thing my parents did for me growing up is get me pet rats. As Clint mentioned, they are easy to care for, social, and trainable. The perfect beginner pet! I had many growing up and still remember all their names, and, unfortunately, how they died :(. But even that, I feel was beneficial in a way. A small intro to the precious and fleeting nature of life. If you are a parent, and your kids are begging for a pet, I totally recommend starting them off with a pair of rats. Clint had to mention the biting because it does happen sometimes, but if you buy from a pet breeder, and teach your kids not to crush them, it’s about as likely as a dog biting. I for one was never bitten by a single one of my rats.

Rats are surprisingly affectionate, wasnt expecting much from them after having hamsters as a kid and after 3 lovely years with my pet rats they really changed my perspective on them. very smart and gentile animals. just sad they dont live very long :( I havnt gotten another because of it.

having owned both rats and hedgehogs I don't think a hedgehog will be giving rats a run for their money! less handleable (in general), more expensive, and more complex care requirements. Although the longer lifespan is definitely appealing. so glad to see this video! I always feel that rats don't get enough appreciation for how fantastic they are!

I used to have a pretty large clan of rats, about 10-15 in two enclosures total. One for males and one for females.Every so often I'd breed another generation to compensate for their short lifespan. In all the time I had them I only got bitten once, and it was genuinely my own fault because I tried to handle a female who was also a new addition and pregnant. She was already scared and I forgot the best practices with a new rat, which is to give them some time to adjust and she naturally bit my finger because she was scared and nervous. Other than that rats are so docile if anyone says in earshot "I'm thinking about getting a small pet." I tell them to get a pair of rats.

I lost my five rats throughout this year and it was so sad but I know I'll get them again. Such amazing pets they are and the bond you build with them is insanely strong. My girls lived to be 3.5 but got tumors quickly towards the end :(

Gambian Pouched Rats might be an interesting video. Longer life span and bigger size for those weirdos like me who love giant rats. Great vid as always Clint.

Once you bring your pet rats home and interact with them, any drawbacks to keeping them just melt away. They truly are amazing! Intelligent, personable, funny, and cuddly are the best words I can think of to describe them, and they all have distinct personalities! Thank you Clint for showing rats in a positive light!

I learned what it means to have a “heart rat” when I purchased my boy Galileo. He is so sweet and expressive it’s like having a tiny dog with little hands who stands on his back legs and reaches for me when he wants loves.

As a kid we adopted a week-old feeder rat because, as you said, the ball python decided we need a new pet. We never had any behavior issues with him, and he had pretty good health considering we didn’t really know how to take best care of him.

Their lifespan is the dealbreaker. When I lost my two as a kid it was awful. However I will forever be an advocate for rats and their amazing characteristics. I will also forever feel conflicted about feeding my snakes but it’s the circle of life but it never gets easier having a freezer full of these animals but snakes need to eat too. It doesn’t mean I dislike rats at all, they’re one of the best animals on the planet!

For what my anecdote is worth, out of the 5 rats I've owned I can count on one hand the number of times I've been pooped on. They mostly only do it when nervous or scared. The pee though...

Rats are the LOVE of my life. They are my absolute favorite pet I’ve ever kept and they hold such a huge place in my heart. They’re so so so sweet. They need cuddles and loves, I’ve only been bitten once in the years I’ve had them and it was entirely my fault. I adore them

I had 3 Dumbo boys through my college years of Animal Welfare Degrees. "They steal your heart and break it into a million pieces two years later." Is a perfect saying for pet Rats. They were my little boys. If I had a bad day at college or work, they would ALWAYS cheer me up. They never bit me, they never chewed through anything I didn't want them to chew, they were very playful, curious, gentle, loving, misunderstood creatures. It has been 10 years since they passed and I genuinely miss them to this day. I would get more but they just don't live long enough.

I had a few rats as a kid, but none as special to me as my first, Zoe. She was the sweetest, most gentle animal. I used to love letting her lick peanut butter off my fingertip. Whenever I talk to people considering a rodent for a pet, I always advocate for rats. They are hands down the best rodent option for kids. You can keep your hamsters and gerbils.

something to add: an air purifer is a great idea since they're very sensitive for dust and low humidity. And it helps with their smell. Males smell way more but females can also be quite smelly. I've had 7 pet rats and they are just such incredible pets. The grief when they die is the same as dogs for me. I used to be a petstore manager and I would always recommend rats instead of rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters for kids. The main reason I don't keep them now is because of the high vet bills and their smell and how much time they need. they're mini dogs with the same bills as a full size dog😅 I trained a few of them where they would know their name and were target trained so I could lure them anywhere. If I ever have kids, they'll definitely have rats.

My friend was once out drinking with his friends, and in their intoxicated genius they've decided to buy a rat. In their local pet store they got a single feeding rat for a single € and took him with them. They were almost certain that the rat would run away from their loud and obnoxious behaviour within the night, but as time went on the rat didn't. In fact he got so used to them that my friend carried him on his shoulder instead of inside the box. The little guy would even keep calm and steady as the guys went around on bicycles, still sitting on my friends shoulder, looking around the town. He went on multiple drinking trips like this with my friend and his friend group, and everyone loved him, maybe a rat friend is better than a human friend, but what about half a dozen nocturnal humans? Yeah, he was pretty happy with them. Sadly, the lack of caution needed around the little guy would soon lead to his demise, as nobody was afraid he'd run away they would just let him wonder around them when they were out, and one time he wandered onto a nearby road and was run over by a car. It's a terribly sad ending to such a happy story, and my friend seems to be sad about it to this day. I sadly never met the rat, but the fact that he could socialize so well with the most obnoxious humans there are - intoxicated teens, proves that if you get a rat, even a feeder, it will most likely love you. Just maybe do get it a rat friend, this was during a summer break so the guy who owned the rat basically spent the whole day around him, and then whenever they went out they would spend the whole night with the rat as well, most people really don't have this time to offer.

One day I was curious about why my girls wrestled so often: over grooming each other, having stand-offs, pulling each other by the ears, etc. I knew the rule “no blood no foul” when it came to their wrestle playing already but I still wanted to know what they were thinking during. I found out that they literally just bother each other like siblings.. they piss each other off on purpose and think it’s entertaining. That’s my favorite rat fact.

Just for the record, rats do not poop "everywhere", they really only poop under two conditions: 1) They are in their cage, or 2) they are feeling nervous (like being in a strange place like the carrier on the way to the vet, or Clint's table there! :) )

I had 2 wonderful female hairless rats. One lived about 2 and half years and the other was close to 4 when cancer took her. They were both social, intelligent animals who didn't poop and pee on people. They would begin to get anxious when they needed a potty break. I think if people watch for behavioral cues from their animals everyone is happier.

A couple things that weren’t put in the video-rats make this chittering sound when they get really excited and they give kisses! They can learn a bunch of cool tricks, too. The first one I taught my girls Prudence and Ramona was to take food from my hands *gently*. Their favorite treats were corn on the cob, mango, and cocktail shrimp. My rats lived to be about 4 years old before they passed. I miss my little rodent puppies so so much 😢

I had 2 pet rats as a kid. I don't remember whether they came from a pet store or what, but whatever their origin, they both lived for an incredible 7 years! I used to love letting them loose into my doll house. One would always run through and knock all the furniture around and the other would always follow after, pushing things back into place or at least up against the wall, as if tidying up after its messy friend. Great pets!

I've owned rats for 5/6 years now and there are very few downsides to them. The poop and pee is something I am very used to now but the goodbyes are the worst. Still, I 100% agree with everything you said here; rats are hugely misunderstood animals and do make amazing pets.

Rats are amazing little pets! *Sorry for this story about my rats, just want to put it here to show you guys how loving those creatures are and how much they can probably feel your love* I once had a rat named Rico. When he was about 2 years old, he passed away. He was never a cuddly rat, but about a month or 2 before his life ended, he became more cuddly and accepted human contact more and more. I still clearly remember the day he passed away. The day before he passed away, I noticed him not being too well, he was slow and he looked like he lost a tad bit of weight. I kept a close eye on him and noticed he did not eat anymore, at that moment it was evening and the vet was already closed. So I cuddled with him for a few hours that night before I went to sleep, hoping he would make the night. He made it through the night, so I made a vet appointment as quick as possible, I thought he might have had some sort of infection, so did the vet. He got a shot of antibiotics and some fluids just to be sure. Later that day, I had to go to work and had my mom check on him every hour or so. He seemed to have perked up quite a bit and that was a relieve. Until I got home at night. When I went upstairs and checked on him, I noticed he was off. I picked him up and cuddled him, within a few minutes he went limp. I had put him on a blanket in the cage, where his brother was, I kept petting him, knowing it was the end. Within an hour of me checking up on him, he passed away. I do not know if he just pulled through the day waiting for me to get home on purpose, but it sure did feel like he did. It was such a weird but beautiful experience, it just felt liek he waited on me to get home, so he could pass away peacefully. Those little creatures are just amazing, they can feel your love and I am sure that they are capable of loving you as well. The heartbreak whenever one dies, will never get any easier and the possibility of one dying in your arms is close to 0, because most of the time you are the one who has to make the descision for them. Out of 7 rats who have passed, only Rico died on his own, without pain. The other 6 where either old, terribly sick or their quality of life wasn't fair anymore. Just a few days ago, I had to put down a rat again, Mozart. His body was just done, he did not want to die though. In the end, at the vet's office, his breathing had stopped, but his heart was still beating, the vet checked again on his heart and he suddenly started breathing again. I started petting him, the vet was kinda baffled by the fact that he started to breathe again. Though, as I was petting him, I spoke out loud "It is okay to go" and slowly his breathing faded again and his little heart stopped soon after. It was so hard to witness, but he passed away while being petted by me and I want to believe that my words somehow reached him, which made him know it was okay to pass on to the other rats in heaven, who were waiting on him to come to them.

I have had rats throughout my life and they are literally like a mix between a dog and cat. They’re so sweet and love attention. I rescued a young baby rat almost three years ago now, she was unsocialized and when I tried (several times) to introduce friends she was aggressive. She’s now almost three years old. She’s the sweetest little thing, has a few problems like giving love bites, but other than that she is perfect. She will crawl up my leg when I am sitting so she can curl up in my lap and I can cuddle with her in my bed for hours. QwQ so sad that she’s nearing 3 years. I will miss her dearly when she passes

That “unless your Ball Python just decided that you should have a new pet” joke is too real. I tried to give my California Kingsnake a shockingly tough mouse, which fought back until my snake gave up. I’ve been feeding her frozen ever since and my mom kept the mouse as a pet for a year after that until it passed away.

Other mammals I'd like videos on: - Goats - Sugar Gliders - Hedgehogs - Pot-bellied Pigs - Exotic/"bad pet" mammals, like monkeys, big cats, etc. You did penguins, so why not?

My class had a rat named pepper, she was so sweet and the whole school loved her. She was so smart and personable.

i could NOT handle having such a charismatic pet. i sometimes get sad knowing that my grumpy bearded dragon will die in about 15 more years and the idea that i one day may loose my python after 30 years of bonding just destroys me knowing i would loose an animal that would activily come up and cuddle in just about two years is just too much for me

I've had a myriad of pets in my life, and my pet rat was easily one of the best pets I have ever had, compassionate, loving, smart. Without a doubt one of the best. He started as a feeder for our pet snake, and when the snake started cuddling with the rat instead of trying to eat it, after three days, we kept him and named him Lucky.

Bought a ball python that came with a free live rat. Ended up getting into pet rats soon after.

For other rodents: I'd love to see guinea pigs or hamsters! Guinea pigs shouldn't be housed alone, either, and both need much larger enclosures than what is marketed towards them in America. Both are fantastic pets with unique personalities if given the right sort of setup, and it breaks my heart that they're seen as "pocket pets" because of their small nature, and are thus often not taken care of properly. Hamsters are lucky if they get half of the minimum cage size in America and guinea pigs are often lucky if they get a friend. I'd like a betta fish video! They're also an often mistreated animal and the more educational care guides, the more chances there are for more of these wonderful fish, full of personality and not at all difficult to keep in an adequate setup, to go to homes where they won't be condemned to a life of misery!

Very few people understand why they’re my favorite pet mammals ❤️

When I worked in a zoo, I had my first introduction to rats. We had a whole building full of them, along with mice and bunnies (I hate bunnies). At first, I was ambivalent to the rats. I was told how many to get and I would get them. As time went one, I started to see some rats differently. Some were incredibly friendly and even affectionate. Those would not get pulled to be food. I started teaching certain rats to play soccer, basketball and mazes. That became a exhibition for a while! Eventually, I found it very hard to pull rats for feeding time. Bunnies were much easier to pull for feeding as they came in many different sizes and, to me, had no personality. Mice are mice and are so short lived, I didn't get to know any of them. The zoo head didn't mind using bunnies and mice for a while, but the animals that were being fed these critters got bored of them and I had to go back to using rats as feeders. Thank goodness we started having chicks and could use those for a while. I became to biggest softy when it came to rats and had to recuse myself from feeding duties when it came to the live animals. Cutting up fruits and veggies is much easier on the mind and heart 💝

Do chinchillas! You get the intelligence and handlability of rats, but much longer longevity (in exchange for more difficult housing) and they don't need to be in pairs. (though it's still good)

I don't think I would try to say their tails cannot be dropped voluntarily.... degloving is a defense of theirs. It is considerably more horrifying than a lizard losing its tail. Lol

I had 2 rats when I was younger (Melvin & Biggie Cheese) and they got along great with our pittie, Lucious. The biggest negatives of pet rats are their short lifespans imo. One of my first real heartache moments was watching Lucious cry and whimper by their empty cage after they passed. They both decided to go within 3 hours of each other. They only made it 3 and a half years and that's actually on the high end of average for a rat.

Yes finally someone talking about how good pets rats make. They are so sweet. One time I got drunk and petted my rat and forgot to close her cage door. I realized it in the morning and when I went to check on her she was just chilling in her igloo house. I think she really liked her cage because it was nice and big, I think it was for chinchillas. Oh now I feel bad my rat lived alone but she lived 3 years.

The best, sweetest and most gentle rat I have owned was a feeder that my brother's ball python rejected. She was amazing! I didnt want any more rats after she passed because i was so heartbroken but here i am 6 months later with 4 new girls, one of whom was pregnant when i got her. She had 5 boys and 6 girls in her litter and they are the most precious things ever!

I went traveling for three weeks and left my two rats with a baby sitter. When I finally came back I figured I would greet them with a bowl filled with all sorts of their favorite treats. Both of them briefly sniffed the treats, ignored the treats and just leapt straight on me! Rats are INSANELY food motivated but, at that moment, me being back was the most important thing to them.

another thing to keep in mind is dust, rats are prone to respiratory issues so make sure the bedding you get them isn't dusty and keep the enclosure clean as well as around it. it's also recommended to give them some time free roaming daily, at least an hour or two.

"Even if they get lost they're likely to walk up to people" can confirm. I had one rat escape from her playpen and I found her 5 minutes later on top of her cage, she just let me scoop her back up.

The rat is one of the best pets I've ever had. Right after cats and dogs. An excellent pet for kids or people who live in small apartments. Mice are nice too and cheaper but rats are better for a lot of reasons. Great video as always!

My best friend had a feeder rat that ended up not being eaten. She's still alive at nearly four years old now but we don't expect her to last much longer since she is really showing signs of her age.

i lost my rat today and i will never forget what clint said. they are the best god damn pets you can have and will break your heart just as easily. i never thought i would cry this much. i love you, ett

Please do one on hamsters! There's so much misinformation about hamster care, a video like this would do so much for such an amazing animal. They're common pets, but sadly correct care and information is not as common.

One of my favorite things about the trio of rats I had a few years ago was that they were just really, really happy animals! Seriously, so cheerful all the time, which was just a delight to be around!

That short lifespan is definitely the biggest drawback of rats and is what made us stop getting them. It's too hard to lose them so soon. 😢

I had a single rat named Blondie. She was smarter than any dog or cat, mine lived to almost 5. She developed tumors and I had to have her put to sleep. I felt terrible, she kept climbing up my arm and hiding under my hair on my neck. Despite her wirey tail and scratchy feet, she was the sweetest little girl ever. I cried when I had her put to sleep. She was a learning experience and a joy to have around. I learned "Not everything is as you hear it will be." She loved me and loved attention, kissies and belly rubs. She even giggled when I tickled her tummy. This was year ago, and I still smile when I think back on her.

I bought two rats because of this video. Lol. Was considering buying them for a while then this video came up and i was so sure. They're 6 months now. Sisters and they have complete different personalities. Smart little darlings. One is shy and timid while the other one is very sociable and playful

I teach animal care and rats are always my go to suggestion for families looking to get kids a small pet. Hamsters and gerbils always seem to be the go to but are far too fast, skittish and bitey for smaller children while rats will WANT to actively play and be handled. Out of all the animals we have in our unit the rats always steal hearts.

I love rats. I had 3 in high school and they had free roam of my room with a large enclosure for bedtime. Unfortunately I developed a horrible allergy to them 2 years in. They were elderly and tumored at that point so I wasn't going to rehome them. I had to get multiple allergy meds and see an allergist regularly to get through their last few months. Worth it though. I wish I could get more but I know I can't with my allergy.

As a former rat keeper of three, thank you for shedding some positive light on these often misunderstood, absolutely wonderful animals. One thing of note is while they can eat a lot of different people food, you do very much limit sweets! My girls were so cuddly, kissy, and always happy to see me. They’re very much like dogs in both the social and trainable departments, and they’re just so dang cuddly!!!! I miss my ratties all the time and often consider getting another trio. (I kept three because of the whole dying of lonliness thing.. if you get two, thats good, but when one inevitably passes before the other … so three was a good number for us!) And they're very clean about themselves, contradicting what people are normally inclined to believe. In my experience, they clean themselves more than most cats I’ve known (which is a lot!). Anyway, thank you Clint! Rats deserve all the love!

Honestly even wild mice can make good pets after they get used to you. Deer mice are adorable and excellent hunters. I had a pair of two I caught with a light on the road at night out in the woods. After just about a month, they were hanging out and talking to me with their facial expressions, then I was spoiling them with the best treats, then they just trusted me and let me handle them, they trusted me enough to let me bathe them without freaking out. All I had to do was make a couple tiny squeeks and they would wake out of bed and line up on their log to see what I wanted. Really really cool pets, watching them do backflips to catch moths and play together like a couple kids were some really magic moments. Amazing level of intelligence.

Very much underselling one of, in my opinion, the best part of rats. They're super smart, and each one is so unique, personality wise. I had a pair of litter mate male rats, Cecil and Carlos. Cecil was a playful, bubbly goof ball...and Carlos...well, he was a lazy boy. Carlos's favorite things to do were to sleep, and to cuddle. And Cecil liked to climb and run and play. When I first got my boys, they were terrified of a lot of new things because they were technically feeder rats, so I made a point to offer them a LOT of enrichment, especially during the holidays. For their second Halloween, I decided to let their enrichment include being part of our trick-or-treating set up, because they had gotten over most of their baby-rat fears, and were both very friendly and calm boys. We don't get a lot of visitors, usually only about 20 or so all night, so I wasn't too worried about stressing them out, but to be safe I brought their travel enclosure and hid it under the table so if one of them freaked he could go chill and feel safe. For the more exciting part, I turned myself into a zombie with some non-toxic makeup and some edible fake blood, wore a large hoodie, and sat at a table a few feet from the candies being offered, and made clear that anyone who approached me knew there was probably a real, live, pet rat (or two) in my hoodie. I want to say for about 99.9% of the night, Carlos spent it curled up in the crook of my arm, inside my sleeve, fast asleep. He was only really awake when I brought him out, and when I moved to bring him back in. Cecil, however, enjoyed cuddling with his brother, but every time he heard a person approach, he would climb up my shirt and poke his face out of the neck of my hoodie, or run down my arm to peek out of the sleeve. There were a fair few people who were scared...but most people, upon seeing Cecil being super curious and friendly, and upon me telling them that the lump farther up my sleeve was his sleeping brother getting in some cuddles really started to warm up to them. Ceec did a great job being a rat-ambassador that year. And Carlos got the best sleep he'd ever had, getting cuddles not only from his brother, but from his dad the whole time. Also, I did offer the boys snacks and water periodically during the night when they were awake, but since it was during a time they normally sleep through, Carlos kept sleeping, and Cecil wasn't super interested. So, since they weren't eating or drinking much for the 2 hours we were out, I didn't get peed on, and I think there was a total of five or so little rat poos in my sleeve. Probably all from Cecil. Carlos, as I said, literally slept through the whole night. I miss both of them so much. Those two were inseparable. In the end, there was only a total of 5 days that Cecil spent without his brother. His last 5. They came into the world in the same litter, and they left the world in the same week as one another. Cancer in both cases. I'm happy they lived good and exciting, safe lives. I'm happier they lived their lives together. My boys never fought much. They only play wrestled a little, and they spent most of their time cuddling or playing together. It was heartbreaking to see how distraught Cecil was when Carlos passed. I was holding Carlos when he went, and Cecil was so confused...he didn't understand why his brother wasn't put back in their cage...and for Cecil's final days, every time I took him out, he would search the room, looking for his brother, and finally just come up to me and curl up in my arms. He no longer wanted to play, and he really just lost so much of his bubbly, playful attitude. When he passed a few days after Carlos, I couldn't help but feel...a little thankful that they would get to be together again.

I'd love to see rabbits covered, I've heard people who have had great success with "house rabbits" but I'd love to know more about caring for them so they thrive!

My lovely rat Bella (who was a feeder that I saved from the evil pet store I worked at) is actually good at pooping in her house and she never goes on me, I just noticed that when he mentioned that, lol. I’m so proud of her! The only thing I did was when she was a baby I would put her back in her house as soon as she pooped or peed and I think she figured it out! They are such wonderful, intelligent and loving creatures!

Rats seem like such sweethearts. I knew a girl with a pet rat that would ride on her shoulders. Friendly little guy.

My first pet rat was possibly my best experience with pet keeping ever. She was amazing. The only downside was that she only lived 3 years. And yes. I got her because my ball python decided I was getting a new pet lol

Everyone sharing rat stories ! I've had 7 total. My first ricecake was a PTSD albino who was suppose to be snake food but the snake didn't eat her. So I adopted her from my uncle's friend. She had a biting problem at first but working with her within a year she was better and we got her companions She had to be put down to do mammory tumor but I'm happy I adopted her she opened my eyes and heart to my other rats.

We've had a lot of rats over the years, many have passed, currently have 6, but we've had three that have been such care-takers for us. My partners autistic, and the rats have always come to give kisses and hugs and to breath and calm down together. Many years ago, we had one that alerted a friend before they had a seizure, on their first meeting. She would nibble their ear, and then run down their arm to us and then our friend would have a seizure. It was actually quite helpful for our friend! And as two chronically ill disabled people, my partner and I get to spend every day next to our rats, they've been clean safe pets for our disabilities (mainly MCAS) when we've had next to nothing. They've kept us alive, and we've kept them till 3+ years with love and treats. ❤

I had a three year old rat named Twilight. She was so kind, she would give anyone kisses when they held her. I miss her a lot but she will always be in my heart. Also, I have a four year old male rat I adopted. He's very healthy and surprisingly very active. He lives with his bestie that we adopted as well and two younger rats we adopted later. They get along without fighting and love to cuddle.

I'm mostly a dog and fish Guy but I wound up adopting a rat once. She was so sweet. I definitely wish she could have lived longer. But she eventually slowed down until she stopped. RIP Girly.

The rat is probably my favorite pet mammal. However, I think the best second option would have to go to the guinea pig. Both are S tier pets.

As a teen, my sister got a rat, after mom grudgingly agreed to it. Within days we were all in love with it, including my mom. Like so many rats, she loved climbing behind your neck in a hoodie and going out with you. An absolute delight of a pet. Ever since, whenever anyone has told me of their plans to get pet rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, or mice for their kids, I urge them to look into rats instead. Of all of them, rats are the only ones who truly _like_ human interaction, and they’re way more robust than hamsters and gerbils (both of which can fall or jump to their deaths from a hand or shoulder, whereas a rat will simply hold on).

Id like to add that while 2 is definitely the minimum requirement of rats, 3+ rats is magnificent because they do have really amazing hierarchy systems! I also wanted to say that lineage of the pet rats i breed, have not shown any signs of cancerous growths for the past 5 years of working with them! So yes not all rats are created equal! If you want pet rats that have a general longer life expectancy with not as many risks for illnesses, you should definitely research and find very experienced breeders who can answer your many questions confidently!

Their life expectancy is literally the only reason why it’s hard for me to have a pet rat. I love them so much but the heartbreak of them passing away so quickly is really hard to deal with. 😢

Funny you mentioned keeping feeder rats from our snakes not eating it lol, that's exactly how we got one of our pet rats. Ball Python decided he wasn't hungry that day, so we kept Harry and he was a phenomenal pet, you could just put your arm into his cage and he would run up your arm to sit on your shoulder.

I completely forgot about this channel! I used to watch all your videos, what a great find again! All thes best!

It’s honestly a bummer that so many awesome animals live so short, rodents and cephalopods for example. When you get the most emotionally invested into them they can die in any time.